Articles

President Donald Trump issued an executive order that will impose double-digit tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, to take effect on Feb. 4. At press time, the tariffs against Mexico were delayed for one month according to numerous reports. According to statements, the U.S. and Mexico will use the pause to continue negotiations. The proposed tariffs will be an additional 25 percent of duty on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10 percent on imports from China. The tariffs will apply to all imports except Canadian energy resources exports, which will face a 10 percent tariff instead. Read More

The construction industry will need to attract an estimated 439,000 net new workers in 2025 to meet anticipated demand for construction services, according to a proprietary model developed and released by Associated Builders and Contractors. In 2026, the industry will need to bring in 499,000 new workers as spending picks up in response to presumed lower interest rates. Read More

Tile is ready to slowly grow in 2025 After an uninspired year, the tile sector looks forward to a better 2025. With a strong product foundation, the sector’s manufacturers and distributors look forward to leaving 2024 behind and drive improvement in the new year. Read More

At the 2025 Shaw Flooring Network convention in Orlando, Florida, Betti Packman, partner/principal with EY-Parthenon and Ivan Kleinfeld, senior director with EY-Parthenon reported that, in the last 22 years, the percentage of remodel budgets devoted to flooring fell from 11% in 2003 to 6% in 2021. Read More

Floor Trends & Installation, in collaboration with its sister brand Stone World and research division My Clear Opinion Insights Hub, will unveil findings from a major new research study on tile and stone purchasing behaviors at The International Surfaces Event (TISE) in Las Vegas this January. Read More

After a soft 2024, industry looks to bounce back in 2025. With 2024 in the rearview mirror, industry executives are looking to reverse course in 2025. “We are optimistic about 2025,” said Tim Baucom, president, Shaw Industries. “After several years of market contraction, we anticipate a modest recovery, with demand outpacing GDP growth.” Read More

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA | KBIS), the world’s leading trade association for the kitchen and bath industry representing nearly 55,000 North American kitchen and bath industry professionals, has released its 2025 Bath Trends Report. Comprised of data generated from a survey completed by industry experts including designers, manufacturers, remodelers, architects, and more – the NKBA Bath Trends Report provides a comprehensive look into current and upcoming trends in residential bathrooms that will have the biggest impact in 2025. Read More

The construction industry and manufacturers can look forward to a gradually improving operating environment in 2025, thanks to lower interest rates, moderating inflation and steady if unspectacular growth in the nation’s overall economic activity. “We look for real GDP growth of 2.5% in 2025,” said Bernard Yaros Jr., lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics (oxfordeconomics.com). (Gross domestic product, the total value of the nation’s goods and services, is the most commonly utilized measure of economic growth. “Real” GDP subtracts the effects of inflation.) Read More

In the months January to November 2024, total U.S. imports of ceramic tile were 163.7 million square meters, a decline of 4.1% from the same period in 2023 when imports were 170.7 million square meters, according to Grosser Consulting. Read More

In the months January to November 2024, total U.S. imports of ceramic tile were 163.7 million square meters, a decline of 4.1% from the same period in 2023 when imports were 170.7 million square meters, according to Grosser Consulting. Read More